36 Sedan Bridge DSS Satelite System

[boughtabouy]

Hi All,

I just closed on a '08 Sedan Bridge, with the DSS satelite option. I don't take delivery for another week, and I'm wondering where the system get's it's power. I've heard that the dish itself is DC, and that the receiver is AC. Also, I think the TV is AC, correct?

On the other hand, I think I read a post somewhere about someone that runs all off of DC for several hours before recharging the batteries. Maybe an inverter is used here, or maybe it all comes from the factory to run on DC. Does anyone know?

Thanks in advance!

Kevin

 

[K-9]

Your sales person should do a cruise and give hands on instructions .....
And have inspection ,,,bank will want one... Ac/dc you can have any set-up.....even solar!!!
Take the helm it is your money!!!!!

WELL BOTH...SHORE POWER AC 120-DC12 BATT/INVERTER TO 110 AC..

I WOULD NEED MORE INFO TO HELP??

 

[boughtabouy]

The boat is brand new. I'm not too worried about being "taken" for that reason.

I know that just about any modification can be made. I guess I was just wondering how the setup comes from the factory.

 

[Mr Salt]

Is the antenna a KVH, what model is it?

 

[tobnpr]

Congratulations on the new vessel.
I do find it a bit odd that you'd cut a check for the kind of $$ involved for a sat system without knowing what you're buying, but...
If I had to guess, I'd say it's the Raymarine dish since SR uses only RM electronics on their boats.

http://www.raymarine.com/GetFile.aspx?fileId=1301&categoryId=3

The dish is 12v, and does not include a converter box- you'll have to supply your own, which are typically AC powered. I'm sure you can special order a 12v box if you need to.

One thing about the RM dish is that it does not include an internal gps (don't ask me why, because most other manufacturers do) which means that a NMEA 0183 feed from your gps or chartplotter needs to be run to the dish as well as the power and RF cables.
If you purchased E120 plotter package as an option, be sure to check with your dealer to confirm that the installer ran this cable. Without it, it will take much longer for the dish to lock-on to the satellites.

 

[boughtabouy]

It's a KVH Tracvision M3. The receiver is already installed in the boat, and was just one of the options.

 

[boughtabouy]

It looks like the Tracvision receiver is 12V DC powered. Now, the only question is the TV. Is the salon TV AC/DC, or just AC? On my last boat it was only AC.

 

[tobnpr]

Well, bad guess then... but I installed an M3 on my boat. It's 12v, and the integrated control box/receiver is also 12v.

KVH has excellent customer support. In the paperwork, you'll find an "800" number for KVH to activate the antenna (the receiver box includes the card). After speaking with them I was told to call DirecTV to add the receiver to my account. They must be tied in to DirecTV's computer system, because by the time I called they already had the receiver info in the system. Once activated it's only the $5/month charge for the receiver (assuming you're already a DirecTV subscriber).

If possible, on a weekly basis turn on the receiver. Not doing so "deactivates" it and you have to call DirecTV for them to send a refresh signal to the satellite. I've had mine for two years, it's a great unit...

 

[boughtabouy]

Thanks tobnpr!

All evidence I was able to find suggests that the whole satelite system runs on DC, while the salon TV runs on 120V AC. Looks like I will need to find an inverter to run the TV while on the hook. Don't want to run the genset if I can get by without it. Any suggestions on running an inverter to salon TV? It looks like there is a 12V DC outlet in the entertainment center, which would make it pretty easy...

 

[tobnpr]

You could install an inverter, but most LCD displays are already 12v, and have a big AC adapter power brick (like your laptop computer). Check your television after you take delivery to see what you have. It's very possible that you could cut off the brick and wire the tv directly to the 12v system. If you go that route, be very careful about determining the correct polarity. If you're leery about doing that, check the power consumption of the tv and you can pick up an inexpensive inverter (Wal-Mart, auto parts store, etc.) to power it. The automotive ones will already have the cigarette-lighter style plug, which is fine for the light load of a single tv.

Wasn't an issue for me, most of the time the gen is always running to power the air conditioners.

The nice thing about the KVH receiver is that it can be mounted out of the way, inside a cabinet, for example. The remote control is RF (radio frequency) rather than the usual infrared, and has a separate remote receiver that is also mounted in a concealed location. No need to "point" the remote at a receiver, you can change channels from anywhere on the boat.